Day 21, Wednesday 27 September
Labastide – Murat to Figeac
47k
Feeling: invigorated (apart from my brain)
Brilliant ride today across the Quercy plateau, so mainly level, with downhill towards the end. It was an absolutely clear and bright morning , quite cool at first, but getting hot as the sun got up and the temperature soon reached the mid-20s.
Stopped for lunch in Livernon: bangers and mash, and crudites for €8. Then turned south to Corn, and cycled into Figeac up the beautiful Célé valley.
Tomas and I made our rendezvous with Doug in Figeac at around 3:30.
Have to report another malfunction in the reservation department. Too boring to recount in detail but sorted out by Doug on his arrival in Figeac, with great assistance from the wonderful M. Cornede at Les Pratges. Doug and I have to stay in a nearby hotel tonight but will be in Les Pratges for our day off tomorrow.
In the meantime, Tomas and I cooled off in the Les Pratges pool:
M. Cornede advised that the water was cold. For a Swede and a Brit? Come on….
Day off tomorrow for bike maintenance and laundry, then Doug and I set off for the Cevennes.
Great few days cycling with you Malcolm and nice to meet Doug. Well, my hotel booking at the Terminus near the station worked ok 😉
Tomorrow it’s back to blighty on the train with James’s bike (thanks again). I have the tickets printed (including bikes) and I look forward to cycling in both Paris and London on the same day! Liz, I’ll give you a ring when I’ve picked the bike up from St Pancréas and look forward to seeing you at Waterloo around 8:30-9pm.
Finally, I must say that I’m very impressed with Malcolm. Not only is he doing an epic cycling adventure, he’s also a very skilled blogger, a great map reader and a pleasure to be with. I look forward to his next cycling trip…
Here here!
Hope you have a great time too Liz whatever the rendezvous arrangements are…know you’re in France on Friday!
Gx
Glad to read that things are still going well. Enjoy your rest day tomorrow! j and j
So delighted you had a good day. And such good companionship. Tomas: Malcolm has been equally effusive about what great company you have been. Maybe the pool was a bit like having a therapeutic ice bath??
Bon voyage Doug! So amazing that you have co-ordinated this from New York. Look forward to seeing you shortly.
I keep missing cycling and grabbing every opportunity to use the bike. So persuaded my friend Elspeth to cycle to the V+A to see the Pink Floyd exhibition. Truly fantastic blast from the past. Do catch it before it ends this weekend.
Pleased to read you Malcolm ! sorry for the late of my reply… very busy lhe last days! thank you for your comments about La Brenne, Le Parc Naturel Régional… and me!! really nice to meet you and James. Bonne journée!
Merci, Danielle, et bienvenue sur mon blog!
Malcolm, what tales you will have to tell and such fun along the way with excellent companions. A travel book for the intrepid is a must. We love your enthusiasm and especially all the foodie bits. Enjoy today and hope the sun shines.
An inspiration to us all.
Sx
Abiut les Pratges:
Malcolm swears he signed a contract and delivered it via email to the B & B. When pressed on cross, however, he was unable to produce either the document or the email. Nevertheless, we spent a wonderful evening, the three of us, in town, and the Hotel des Bains was perfectly fine.
As for me, I am finding the typical french breakfast of juice, coffee, one croissant, and a half loaf of bread perfectly suited to our journey. Both bikes seem to be fine, and at Malcolm’s suggestion, I took a ride west – to corn – to dust off the cobwebs. spectacular!
more tomorrow
I shall have to reconsider bringing lawyers on tour.
(Nevertheless, I have reconfirmed all remaining reservations.)